Don’t believe anything you’ve read about Communism having killed the capital city’s zest. Yes, the Havana has lost the Barbary Coast spirit of prerevolutionary days, but habaneros love to paint the town red (so to speak) as much as their budgets allow. Many venues—particularly those that primarily cater to Cubans—are seedier (albeit without the strippers) than they were four decades ago; in many the decor hasn’t changed!

The scene is fluid. Sudden restrictions imposed by the government occasionally put a damper on Havana’s nightlife. Nightlife is a lot tamer than it was just a decade ago, not least because the past few years have seen many discos replaced by live-music venues with pricey entrance fees that dissuade Cubans from attending.

All of which means that habaneros mostly socialize impromptu, on the street, although afternoon discos keep up some of the old abandon. And though Havana has scores of bars, Cubans are even priced out of most bars (one beer can cost the equivalent of a week’s salary), and few have any energy.

For theater, classical concerts, and other live performances it’s often difficult to make a reservation by telephone; few box office operators speak English in any event. Instead, you should go to the venue and buy a ticket in advance or just before the performance.

Comedy is exclusively in colloquial Cuban Spanish.